Solar Power Plant Evaluation – How reputed are the solar power plant installers/EPCs?

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Solar Power Plant Evaluation – How reputed are the solar power plant installers/EPCs?

EPCs form the most critical component in the implementation of a solar PV power plant, as they are the glue that put together the design, procurement, and the complete construction. For an industry in its initial stages, a power plant implemented by a good EPC will definitely show a higher yield.

Now how do you evaluate the installer?

The following metrics can be used to evaluate the installer

Year of Inception – Conducting some secondary research can let you know if the EPC is an established player or a new entrant into the solar industry.

Background of key personnel – The background and reputation of the engineering design and marketing team is a very crucial factor. Having a good team with people having excellent expertise in their respective fields is an indicator of the credibility of the EPC, even if it is a new entrant.

Number and Size of projects implemented – Greater scale of projects implemented and the number of projects can only augment the credibility of the EPC.

Overall performance achieved in previous projects – Apart from conducting research on the number, size and nature (rooftop or ground-mounted) of projects completed by the EPC, evaluating the performance of these installations could be indicative of the project execution capabilities of the EPC.

Feedback from existing clients – Testimonials from current customers can go a long way in establishing the credibility and reliability of the EPC. Apart from knowing whether the EPC has executed its’ projects on time, the quality of post-implementation support provided by them can clearly indicate how reliable the EPC can be.

Awards and honors received –An EPC having awards and honors under their belt, received from government organizations or reputed private bodies, can also be an attractive feature.

Why do you need to know whether the EPC is still in business?

If the power plant installer is no longer in business, you could be in hot waters.

Here’s how:

You won’t know the intricacies of the warranty terms and conditions that apply to the installed components

You wouldn’t know whom to contact in case something goes wrong in the solar power plant, especially in a case where the service men you have hired also are not able to debug the issue

Your installer might have tried some novel designs or architecture for the plant which can probably take a third party significant time to understand and operate

You might want to check out these questions on Solar Power Plant Evaluation – Terms and Conditions

What are the terms and conditions between the current owner and installer of the power plant? – Here

What are the government policies applicable to the power plant? How/will this impact the returns from the power plant?-Here